In 1990, just one year after Bill McKibben's book "The End of Nature" came out, we purchased two 25 watt solar panels, and associated 12 watt lights and chargers to run a small laptop and micro-printer, then lugged them to Mozambique for a three year Mennonite Central Committee term. We lived in Nampula, where blackouts were frequent - more often than having electricity - and mounted the panels on the side of the building. When the power was out in the evening, we had light and sometimes a bit of music. People around us wondered how we had lights without any noise. It worked wonderfully, well worth the 15$ per watt price for the system. Prices have dropped. It is something to celebrate. I hope we have something else to celebrate tomorrow. Thanks for the message on balcony panels. It brought back good memories.
"Why simple permitting for solar energy in the US is so difficult" or, "Why can't we have nice things?":
A: Money in politics.
Health care, gun control, education, homelessness, immigration, etc. - the US stands out as "exceptional" on all these areas, and of course the same goes for energy policy. You want to get elected? You need money. Guess who has a LOT of money?
The fossils are going to milk the energy sector for all it's worth for as long as possible. They do NOT want the competition from affordable, bite-size solar panels. Hence, red tape.
We could end this charade by simply getting rid of the idiotic notion that "money is speech," but the only people who can make such a change are those who are benefiting from the current system, and they're not about to kill the goose.
And Americans in general appear too content to insist on change.
So about "That Thing..." I've been GOTV phonebanking as well. Every once in awhile there's someone says to me they aren't voting or are unsure because "both of them are morons."
What to say to that? This is my small chance to move the needle and my volunteer script ain't cutting it
"... ecosystems that are becoming more likely to produce emissions and potentially less capable of absorbing excess carbon"
... sort of undermine Michael Mann's explanation why achieving Net Zero CO2 emissions will quickly reduce past legacy accumulated excess atmospheric concentration and soon thereafter begin to cool the atmosphere and oceans (and reduce ocean acidity which is killing the sea food chain bottom to top)?
In 1990, just one year after Bill McKibben's book "The End of Nature" came out, we purchased two 25 watt solar panels, and associated 12 watt lights and chargers to run a small laptop and micro-printer, then lugged them to Mozambique for a three year Mennonite Central Committee term. We lived in Nampula, where blackouts were frequent - more often than having electricity - and mounted the panels on the side of the building. When the power was out in the evening, we had light and sometimes a bit of music. People around us wondered how we had lights without any noise. It worked wonderfully, well worth the 15$ per watt price for the system. Prices have dropped. It is something to celebrate. I hope we have something else to celebrate tomorrow. Thanks for the message on balcony panels. It brought back good memories.
"Why simple permitting for solar energy in the US is so difficult" or, "Why can't we have nice things?":
A: Money in politics.
Health care, gun control, education, homelessness, immigration, etc. - the US stands out as "exceptional" on all these areas, and of course the same goes for energy policy. You want to get elected? You need money. Guess who has a LOT of money?
The fossils are going to milk the energy sector for all it's worth for as long as possible. They do NOT want the competition from affordable, bite-size solar panels. Hence, red tape.
We could end this charade by simply getting rid of the idiotic notion that "money is speech," but the only people who can make such a change are those who are benefiting from the current system, and they're not about to kill the goose.
And Americans in general appear too content to insist on change.
Thank you, Bill, for this great post. I certainly learned a lot from it.
Don't block the sun silicone valley. Block your tail pipes and huge multi room multi bathroom mansions.
So about "That Thing..." I've been GOTV phonebanking as well. Every once in awhile there's someone says to me they aren't voting or are unsure because "both of them are morons."
What to say to that? This is my small chance to move the needle and my volunteer script ain't cutting it
I'd say: which one would you like your children to be like?
Thanks Bill :-)
How come no mention of China??? It yearly produces a quarter of the atmospheric CO2. Nothings going to change until China stops using coal.
Top 10 world economies make up 75% of global emissions. Plenty of focused work to do with big impacts that doesn’t include China
Balconkraftwerk? Naturally it's a single word.
Agree on all of this but don't forget about Gen X 🙄
for sure!
Bill, does this:
"... ecosystems that are becoming more likely to produce emissions and potentially less capable of absorbing excess carbon"
... sort of undermine Michael Mann's explanation why achieving Net Zero CO2 emissions will quickly reduce past legacy accumulated excess atmospheric concentration and soon thereafter begin to cool the atmosphere and oceans (and reduce ocean acidity which is killing the sea food chain bottom to top)?